Automobile starting device.



W. SHANNON.

AUTOMOBILE STARHNG DEVICE.

PPLTCATION ILED MAR. 24, 1913 l,123,940. Patented Jan. 5, 1915` 2 SHEETS' SHEET 1.

W. SHANNN.

ATOIOBLL STAR'HNG DEVICE .ArrmmuoN Num NARAm, w15

1 l 23,940. Patented Jan. 5. 1915.

WILLIAM SHANNON, F EAST CLEVELAND, OHIO.

ATOMOBILE STARTING DEVICE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 5, 19.15.

Application filed March 24, 1913. Serial No. 756,342.

T o all 'whomit may concern:

Be it known that I, VILLIAM SHANNON, a

. citizen ofthe United States, residing at East Cleveland., in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented acertain new' and useful Improvement in Automobile Starting Devices, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description,

reference bring had to the accompanying' drawings.

The objectof this invention is to provide a simple and effective mechanism for starting an automobile from the seat of the driver.

My mechanism saves all the trouble of getting out of the machine to crank it at the front end, as is customary, saves the danger from back-firing, and -is much simpler and cheaper, and more reliable than the socalled self starters on the market.

The invention comprises broadly, a lever accessible to the driver in his seat, a ratchet mechanism operating onthe engine shaft, and connecting mechanism between the lever and ratchet mechanism so that, when the lever is operated, the engine shaft will be rotated to turn' over the engine.

The invention includes also special features of the mechanism by which the leverage is ready to start when it is needed, and then after the movement is started, the speed of rotation is increased for a given lever movement, thus givingthe shaft the desired turning.

The ratchet mechanism is hereinafter described and a means for preventing any disastrous effects from back-firing also included' in my invention.

In thel drawings, Figure 1 Aisa sectional side elevation of a portion of an automobile equipped with my starting device; Figis a bottom plan of the portion of the automobile showing the course of the connecting mechanism between the lever ,and the ratchet mechanism; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of an automobile showing the position of my starting device in front of thc radiator;

vFig. i'is a front elevation of thc ratchet mechanism with the cover removed and showing the ratchet at thelbeginning of the stroke of the hand' lever; Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the position of the parts at the finish of the stroke, some of the parts being sectionedfor clearness of illustration; ig. 6 is a section taken on the line 6 6 of Fig. 4; Fig. 7v is a. detail of the parts for preventing disastrous effects from backfiring.

As shown in the drawings, 1 indicates the front portion of an automobile comprising the drivers seat, the dash board andthe foot space between them.

2 indicates the shaft of the engine.

3 indicates the lever 'of my starting device. This lever is pivoted at 4 on the fioor of the car and extends along the floor, as shown at 5 and then inclines forwardly, as shown at 6, and then upwardly, as at 7, terminating in a hand hold 8,'which normally stands adjacent tothe dash board. From the pivot '4 the lever 3 extends downwardly through the floor-.and then f. rearwardly, as at 9, which stands normally adjacent the under sidev of the-floor;

( )n the forward endof the car. is a ratchet mechanism, to be lhereinafter .describcd,

which, when rotated will turn-the shaft of the engine. This mechanism is operated by a cable, chain,4 or` other flexible member running from the ratchet mechanismA to the lever 3. Thisflexible connection is shown at 10 in the drawing. It runs from the ratchet mechanism rearwardly over the pulleys 11, 12 and 13 and is anchored-. atfthis end to the lever a short .distance-from the pivot 4. Pivotally secured at 15 tothe end of the lever 3 is a link 16 extending forwardly, and carrying at its free endasheave 17, which bears against the cable 10 between the pulleys 12 and 13. The forward end of the link may reston a suitable support 18 carried by the cross member 19 on which the pulley 12 is carried. This rest guides the link 16 up past the foot board to clear the fly wheel and other parts `of the engine. l/Vhen the vlever 3 is drawn rearwardly to operate the ratchet mechanism at first it obtains a direct pull on the cable 10, but, as the movement progresses, the link 16 moves forwardly, and its movable pulley diverts the cable so that the cable is effectively drawn rearwardly more rapidly than the movement of the lever 3. Thus, at the start,

` carried loosely on the shaft and having one has the full power of the lever, but, as the movement progresses, the rotation given thereby is increased in speed Where less power is necessary. This gives the desired easy starting'and rapid rotatingr action to the shaft'.

The ratchet mechanism consists of a Wheel 20 having notches in its periphery carried on the forward end of the engine shaft. Adjacent to this wheel 20 is a second wheel 2l a recess in one side, in which the wheel 20 A portion of thewheel 21 is cut away at its' periphery to admit a dog 22, which is pivoted at 23, to this wheel 21, and is adapted to engage vthe teeth on the periphery of the Wheel 20. The dog 29. is somewhat arenal in form and it is intermediately pivoted. The cable l() is attached to the enel opposite the nose of the dog, The dog 22 stands normally out of engagement with the wheel 2 0 and is only brought into engagement with this wheel when the cable l0 is pulled. The. wheel il is provided with'a suitable groove about its periphery to guide the vcable 10. This groove is made much deeper near the nose of the dog as will be seen from Fig. 5 so that a pull on the cable forces the nose of the dog into engagement with the notches of the wheel 20. 'The deepening of the groove shortens the lengt-h of the stroke of the lever 8 required vto rotate the engine shaft., and also acts to `quicken the movement of the ratchet mechanism after the beginning of the stroke. Carried on the inner face of the housing 25 is an abutment 26 which engages the end "Z-lof the dog and holds the nose of the dog out of engagement with the wheel 20 when the device is in starting position. 'The leverage is' so selected that, when the lever is given a full movement, the wheel Q1 is given one rotationahout the shaft and, accordingly, at one end ol the movement ol' the lever, the dog again is moved out of its engagement with the wheel 30 by means of the end 24 ofthe dog coming into engagement with an abutment 26. A coiled spring surrounds the engine shaft 2 and is attached to the casing .25 and to the end 24- ef the dog and acts to return the wheel 21 to the position-shown in Fig. 5 while drawing on the cable 10 vto return the lever 3 to its normal position shown in Fig. 1. This spring exerts a pull on the end 24 of the dog and tends to keep the nose of the dog out of en gagement on. the return movement of the lever. Itis only necessary to givethe lever 3 one full movement to the rear to give the engine shaft a complete rotation, and as many successive movements of the lever may be made as desired. Thus, all of the he is free from injury, and a suitable bumper on the dash board receives the impact. However, I'- have provided special mechanism to prevent back tiring from even throwing the lever Iaga-inst the Idash board. This I accomplish b'y providing on the wall of the housing 25 a series of pawls 30, car'- ried by ears 3l, which are pressed by springs toward the axis of the shaft. These pawls act idly on the dog 22 as it rotates in the starting direction under the pull of the cable 10. But on the return movement each pawl depresses the end 2d of the' dog and insures it being out of engagementivith the wheel 20. Accordingly, anybaclr-tiring that could taire place would only turn the wheel 2l rearwardly portion of a rotation, until the dog 22 engages one of the pavvls 30 when it would be disengaged from the wheel 20. In the drawings, three of these pawls are Shown arranged ninety degrees apart. They are pivoted to ears Si on the casing and have a shoulder abutting the casing to prevent rocking baclnvardly and a cam surface 33 engaging the vdog on its return movement. As the wheel Q1 turns the dog forwardly when the cable 10 is pulled, the deg passes idly across these pawls, but, should back-Firing occur, the rotation of the shaft can only carry the wheel :2l with it until the dog engages one of the paivls, or the stationiary abutment 26, for, in that case, the dog is normally forced out of contact with the n heel 20. l'iccordingly, any back-tiring,

evcn if it should occur, would only give slight movement to the operating lever-v \vhercas on the starting of the engine or' A the usual return movement of the dog-after failure tn start on first attempt, the'nosefis' I held out of engagement by the spring Q7 as heretofore described, and the dogA merely passes the pawls without engaging them.,

I prefer to provide on thedasli board Aa pair of ears 40 between which the'lever' normally stands. A padlock having its loop inserted through these ears will lock the lever and'efectively prevent starting'ot the" car. This provides a very simple lock for the automobile. Y

My device is very simple in construction;

there is nothing about it to get out of order;

it is effective in service., and hasthc further advantage that it may be easily appliedfto 'existing' automobiles ot various types.

Although I have described my device in connection with an automobile 1 do not limit myself to its use on automobiles, but may use it as a starting device for motors of motor boats or any explosion engine not easily accessible for starting.

Having thus described my inventiomwhat I claim is:

1. In an automobile starting device, the combination with an engine shaft, of a notched wheel on the engine'shait, a rotary member surroundinfl said wheel and having a dog adapted to engage the notches, a fixed member adjacent the shaft, a spring coiled about the shaft and having one end attached to the dog and the other end to said tixed member, and acting to press the dog out of engagement with the wheel, a lever accessible to the driver, and connecting mechanism between the lever and the rotary member.

2. In a starting device, the combination with an engine shaft, of rotary mechanism adapted to drive the engine shaft, a lever, a flexible member` directly attached to the lever and connected with the rotary mechaaisne, said ilexiblc member being moved by the movement ot the lever, a movable pulley adapted to act on said flexible member between the lever and thc rotary mechanism, and means whereby the lever bodily moves the movable pulley to give additional movement to thc ilexible member.

3. In a starting device, the combination with an engine shaft of a lever, a movable pulley, a link connecting the same w ith the' lever, a llexible member connected at one end to the lever and passing across the mov able pulley, and a device for turning over the engine shaft connected to the other end of said iienible member.

4. In a starting device, the combination with an engine shaft` of ratchet mechanism adapted to engage the ergine shaft and turn the same over when `said mechanism is given a rotation, a flexible member connected at one end with said mechanism and adapted to givejt a rotation, a lever to which the other end of said ,-.lexible member is anchored, means for increasing the speed of rotation for a given lever movement consisting oi' a movable sheave bearing against the flexible member between the lewr and ratchet mechanism, und a connection between said movable sheave and the operating lever.

.3, The wunbination, with an engine shaft, of a heel theretm, a rotary carrier, a dog carried b v tbc carrier and adapted to engage the wheel, a pivotcd operating lever, a cable or other tiexible member attached to the lever above its pivot and connected to the rotarv carrier and passing across suita' le pulleys on stationary axes. and a movab e pulley bearing against the cable between two of the stationary pulleys and means carried by the lever below its pivot for bodily moving the movable pulley when the lever is operated to give an increased pull on the cable.

6. In an automobile starting device, the combination with an engine shaft, of a. lever pivoted adjacent to the floor of the automobile and accessible to the driver in his seat, and a cable connected at one end to said lever and leading forwardly, two adjacent pulleys across which the cable runs, a movable pulley acting on the cable between the pulleys first mentioned, a link carrying the movable pulley and connected to said lever, and means for turning over the shaft connected with the cable at its forward end.

7. The combination with an engine shaft carrying a notched wheel, a rotary carrier, a dog carried thereby adapted to engage said. Wheel, a spring tending to force said dog out of engagement with the wheel and tending to return the' dog `and carrier to normal position after being rotated, a housing surrounding the dog and carrier, an abutment on the housin for forcin the dog out of engagement with the whee and means for rotating the carrier.

8. The combination with an engine shaft carrying a notched wheel, a rotary carrier, a dog carried thereby adapted to engage said wheel, a spring tending to force said dog out of engagement with the wheel and tending to return the dog and carrier to normal position after being rotated, a housing surrounding the dog and carrier, an abutment on the housing for forcing the dog out of engagement with the wheel, and means for rotating the .carrier comprising a lever conveniently accessible to' the operator, and a flexible connection between the lever and dog whereby the carrier may be, rotated when the upper end of the lever is pulled rearwardly.

9. In a startin device, the combination with the engine s aft, of a notched member on the engine shaft, a rotary carrier having a paivl adapted to engage said member, a iiexible member attached to the pawl and tending to draw it into en agement With the notched member, means or drawing on said flexible member at will and means to free the pawl from the notched member on a return movement of the pawl consisting of a plurality of pawls carried on a housin surrounding the carrier and the shaft an adapted to engage the pawl if it is in engagement with t e wheel.

10. The combination with an engine shaft carrying a notched wheel, of a fixed member around the shaft, a rotary carrier having a groove-d periphery, a dog on the carrier intermediately pivoted, a cable for turning over the engine shaft guided by suchgroove and attached to the dog so that it engages the notched Wheel when the cable ispulled, slgnature in the presence of two witnesses. and a spring coiled about the shaft having one end attached to the fixed member and I ILLIA'M 'SHANNON' 5 the other end to the dog, tending to return Witnesses:

the carrier and to draw the dog out of ac- KALBERT H. BATES,

tion.

BRENNAN B. WEST.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto ax my 

